Nuno Espirito Santo shoots himself in the foot as Lucas Paqueta successor already allowed to leave West Ham
Nuno Espirito Santo could quickly find himself without one of West Ham’s biggest names following news of a potential exit for Lucas Paqueta.
Football Insider understands that Nuno could be given another month at West Ham, with the 51-year-old winning just three of his 17 games since arriving at the London Stadium.
He only has an 18 per cent win record, with Slaven Bilic now being linked with a West Ham return, and the situation is about to go from bad to worse, with the January transfer window.
Lucas Paqueta has long been linked with leaving East London, most famously with Man City, but it appears that a return to Brazil could be on the cards amid interest from Flamengo.
According to Fabrizio Romano, there is even an agreement in place with the Brazilian giants, but the Hammers would prefer to keep the 28-year-old, at least until the summer.
Lucas Paqueta to finally leave West Ham
Supporters are more than happy to admit that Paqueta has not been his usual attacking self for months, with the player even putting his behaviour down to the FA investigation into his betting charges.
That is ultimately why his move to the Etihad Stadium fell through, and it might just be about time for the Hammers to cash in on the 28-year-old, who has five goals and one assist this season.
Multiple attacking stars are struggling at the bottom of the Premier League table, with Jarrod Bowen notching only six goals and one assist in his 21 league appearances to date.
With that in mind, if Paqueta does leave for Brazil before the transfer window shuts, it will be vital for Premier League safety that the Hammers find a suitable replacement for the playmaker.
George Earthy has all the potential to become West Ham star
Sadly for Nuno, he might have already allowed the perfect successor to leave the London Stadium on loan this month, with George Earthy returning to Bristol City until the end of the season.
In his first game since returning to Ashton Gate, an FA Cup game against Watford, the 21-year-old grabbed an assist in just half an hour of football, adding to his four contributions from last term.
Earthy’s chances at the London Stadium have been sparse, to say the least, but with one goal to his name, supporters are eager to see him given an opportunity to impress.
Of course, that will not happen until at least the 2026/27 season, having returned to the Robins on loan until the summer, and that could only compound the fact that Paqueta looks exit-bound this month.